Mau Mau Rebellion?

Tim Simmons · 20th December 2025, 06:36 AM

Quite possibly a Mau Mau gun but rather fancy. As I know little about guns and ammunition I am unsure how this gun would function. Many Mau Mau guns were very simple often having a door bolt as the firing mechanism, just ramming the bolt into the bullet. Very similar guns (Zip guns) are made by Solomon Island rascals local name for gangsters, criminals and so on.

https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/30036466
https://www.rememuseum.org.uk/blog/c...mau-mau-pistol

Jim McDougall · 20th December 2025, 12:16 PM

This is a most interesting topic, and honestly I do not think ever really brought up in all the years here, that of the Mau Mau rebellion and certainly not these incredibly fascinating ersatz guns.

For me most of the exposure to the curious term, like many people in my age group (really old) came from the novelty song of early 60's "Oom Papa ooo Mau Mau' and the term 'mau mau' used rather collectively in various cases. Probably from the British colonial slang term for the Kenyan fighters.

There does not appear to be any viable etymology for the rather derisively applied term, which was of course not used by the tribal groups involved in these uprisings leading up to the Mau Mau Rebellion (1952-60). This was but one of the many and constant struggles in colonial Africa, and while these were it seems constantly in the news in the 60s, it was hard to really understand what these were about for the average lay person, nor especially where these places were.

From what I read in the links Tim kindly added here, the mostly Kikuyu tribes among other tribal groups involved used these kinds of improvised and even imitation guns as symbols of rank and status, when actual serviceable weapons were unavailable. The suggestion that this was the case with many of the 'Mau Mau' tribal leaders would seem to elevate these rough, crudely assembled weapons to rather unique collectible status.

Indeed, there seems to be numbers of these types of tribal guns in the collections at National Army Museum in London.

It seems there are examples which fall into the popular term 'zip gun' type of crudely assembled guns innovatively created as mentioned by Tim.

Interestingly one of the key creators of many of these 'Mau Mau' guns was a self styled gunsmith who used the name "General Doctor Russia", rather a bizarre but catchy title, located in remote areas near Mt. Kenya foothills.
Examples of military type rifles with bolt action even with dummy magazines and pistols with open breech etc. are found in these groups of imitation and improvised guns.

As noted, this example posted by Jack seems to have been a sporting shotgun, which seems unusual as mostly double barrel versions were the norm. Also as such sporting guns were made by notable gun makers with ornate and signed locks, this crude assembly is entirely out of character.

The markings stamped into the stock are interesting, and it seems that there may have been some copying of 'official' issue type markings and numbers used in imitation of military guns with these improvisations.

Most interesting topic and example Jack! Thank you for posting this.
Rob and Tim thank you guys for your valuable input and Tim for the links.
I really enjoyed learning more on this topic, which really has my interest piqued now as an area I know even less about than guns!!! and that is most notable

All best regards
Jim

Tim Simmons · 20th December 2025, 01:42 PM

Posted some time ago.

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...ight=home+made

Dangerous one shot, close up bang.

RobT · 20th December 2025, 09:47 PM

Tim Simmons,

Zip guns were rather common in New York when I was growing up and a door bolt firing pin was the ignition device of choice. Heavy duty rubber bands were used to propel the bolt forward when it was manually unlocked. The force was sufficient to set off the rimfire primer of a 22 short and send the round through the short section of pipe used as a barrel. I had heard that some enterprising individuals fitted the wooden stocks of these guns with a trigger attached to an external lever set-up that would release the bolt but that may have just been an urban legend. In any event, carrying these things around “cocked and locked” was as dangerous as all get out and only favored by those with more anger than sense. I wonder if NYC zip guns would qualify as ethnographic weapons?

Sincerely,
RobT

Tim Simmons · 21st December 2025, 06:25 AM

A New York zip gun would be an ethnographic weapon.

Richard G · 29th December 2025, 03:57 PM

This could well be a gun from the Mau Mau Uprising.
However degrading breech loading firearms to muzzle-loading black power was not uncommon in Africa, particularly W Africa, in the late 19th to mid 20th centuries in a quest for simplicty and economy.
Regards
Richard

Jim McDougall · 29th December 2025, 04:42 PM

Another analogy concerning gun conversions in latter 19thc.
The ZULU shotguns were ex- French muskets from Franco-Prussian war were apparently converted in Belgium to smooth bore shotguns about 1885. Depending on which guns were used, these rifled barrels were bored out to either .12 GA or .16GA and the 'brand' name, as in those times used clever sensational terms ...used the word ZULU to capitalize on the Zulu Wars of 1877-79.

These shotguns became ubiquitous in the American west, in ranches and households and were marketed by retailers including Sears, Roebuck.
They had the 'Tabatiere' system of breech loading, so sort of a converse example, but the point is that gun conversions of sorts was apparently not uncommon, even in these contexts.

20th December 2025, 06:36 AM	#1
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,970	Quite possibly a Mau Mau gun but rather fancy. As I know little about guns and ammunition I am unsure how this gun would function. Many Mau Mau guns were very simple often having a door bolt as the firing mechanism, just ramming the bolt into the bullet. Very similar guns (Zip guns) are made by Solomon Island rascals local name for gangsters, criminals and so on. https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/30036466 https://www.rememuseum.org.uk/blog/c...mau-mau-pistol Last edited by Tim Simmons; 20th December 2025 at 06:48 AM.

20th December 2025, 09:47 PM	#4
RobT Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 620	NYC Zip Guns Tim Simmons, Zip guns were rather common in New York when I was growing up and a door bolt firing pin was the ignition device of choice. Heavy duty rubber bands were used to propel the bolt forward when it was manually unlocked. The force was sufficient to set off the rimfire primer of a 22 short and send the round through the short section of pipe used as a barrel. I had heard that some enterprising individuals fitted the wooden stocks of these guns with a trigger attached to an external lever set-up that would release the bolt but that may have just been an urban legend. In any event, carrying these things around “cocked and locked” was as dangerous as all get out and only favored by those with more anger than sense. I wonder if NYC zip guns would qualify as ethnographic weapons? Sincerely, RobT Last edited by RobT; 20th December 2025 at 09:49 PM. Reason: new info

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20th December 2025, 12:16 PM	#2
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,833	This is a most interesting topic, and honestly I do not think ever really brought up in all the years here, that of the Mau Mau rebellion and certainly not these incredibly fascinating ersatz guns. For me most of the exposure to the curious term, like many people in my age group (really old) came from the novelty song of early 60's "Oom Papa ooo Mau Mau' and the term 'mau mau' used rather collectively in various cases. Probably from the British colonial slang term for the Kenyan fighters. There does not appear to be any viable etymology for the rather derisively applied term, which was of course not used by the tribal groups involved in these uprisings leading up to the Mau Mau Rebellion (1952-60). This was but one of the many and constant struggles in colonial Africa, and while these were it seems constantly in the news in the 60s, it was hard to really understand what these were about for the average lay person, nor especially where these places were. From what I read in the links Tim kindly added here, the mostly Kikuyu tribes among other tribal groups involved used these kinds of improvised and even imitation guns as symbols of rank and status, when actual serviceable weapons were unavailable. The suggestion that this was the case with many of the 'Mau Mau' tribal leaders would seem to elevate these rough, crudely assembled weapons to rather unique collectible status. Indeed, there seems to be numbers of these types of tribal guns in the collections at National Army Museum in London. It seems there are examples which fall into the popular term 'zip gun' type of crudely assembled guns innovatively created as mentioned by Tim. Interestingly one of the key creators of many of these 'Mau Mau' guns was a self styled gunsmith who used the name "General Doctor Russia", rather a bizarre but catchy title, located in remote areas near Mt. Kenya foothills. Examples of military type rifles with bolt action even with dummy magazines and pistols with open breech etc. are found in these groups of imitation and improvised guns. As noted, this example posted by Jack seems to have been a sporting shotgun, which seems unusual as mostly double barrel versions were the norm. Also as such sporting guns were made by notable gun makers with ornate and signed locks, this crude assembly is entirely out of character. The markings stamped into the stock are interesting, and it seems that there may have been some copying of 'official' issue type markings and numbers used in imitation of military guns with these improvisations. Most interesting topic and example Jack! Thank you for posting this. Rob and Tim thank you guys for your valuable input and Tim for the links. I really enjoyed learning more on this topic, which really has my interest piqued now as an area I know even less about than guns!!! and that is most notable All best regards Jim

20th December 2025, 01:42 PM	#3
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,970	Posted some time ago. http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...ight=home+made Dangerous one shot, close up bang.

21st December 2025, 06:25 AM	#5
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,970	A New York zip gun would be an ethnographic weapon.

29th December 2025, 03:57 PM	#6
Richard G Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 418	This could well be a gun from the Mau Mau Uprising. However degrading breech loading firearms to muzzle-loading black power was not uncommon in Africa, particularly W Africa, in the late 19th to mid 20th centuries in a quest for simplicty and economy. Regards Richard

29th December 2025, 04:42 PM	#7
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,833	Another analogy concerning gun conversions in latter 19thc. The ZULU shotguns were ex- French muskets from Franco-Prussian war were apparently converted in Belgium to smooth bore shotguns about 1885. Depending on which guns were used, these rifled barrels were bored out to either .12 GA or .16GA and the 'brand' name, as in those times used clever sensational terms ...used the word ZULU to capitalize on the Zulu Wars of 1877-79. These shotguns became ubiquitous in the American west, in ranches and households and were marketed by retailers including Sears, Roebuck. They had the 'Tabatiere' system of breech loading, so sort of a converse example, but the point is that gun conversions of sorts was apparently not uncommon, even in these contexts.